i want to do a swap in my 90 ef. i want both motors but i need to go with what would be the best. tell me what the positives and negitives are with each motor and which one you think would be better. please help!!!

 

i heard a ZC will cause serious brain damage when trying to look for parts..

LS parts are more available...

 

I second that...

 

ls, hands down. more expensive of a swap because it requires mounts, axles, and shift linkage, but it has far more aftermarket and potential. run an ls trans if you plan to turbocharge, and a B16/ S1 if you plan to run all motor.

 

Umm what exactly is hard about ZC parts? You have a list that says every part and it's equivilant US Part? Now if you can't read I see why this is true, but if you can read finding ZC parts is just as easy as finding parts for any other engine.

 

i think he means aftermarket stuff is few and far between.

 

having both motors id say go w ls.
even thou its more expensive its worth it, trust me

 

i have a list of all the parts that are interchangeable on the ZC so finding replacement parts isnt a problem. aftermarket may be a problem though. but my main thing in finding a motor is i want reliabilty and i want my car to be able to hold its own if it has to. i know the Ls has more torque than the ZC but the HP between the two is almost the same.

 

i think it comes down to:

1.how much money you want to spend
2.how easy you want it to be

the zc is probably the easiest swap you can do into your car, it's one you probably can do over a weekend. plus, it's significantly cheaper than an ls, since you can use your existing tranny, mounts, etc. that being said, the ls gives you better performance and has greater potential.

 

ill say stay with LS unless ur budget its very tight
putting an LS its going to be more torquey, better parts, lesss miles, its a B series, and if u ever get a great deal on a B series u already have the mounts and stuff...lower the compression and they love boost.... and they are bigger displacement...

 

i have made my decision..... i will do an Ls motor. all signs are pointing to it so it must be done. thanks guys for all of your help.

 

technically it doesnt

go ls


[Modified by TorteX, 3:49 PM 1/21/2003]

 

I Have a ZC and had major problems the first year with the motor stalling at any speed or idle. (I will get to the mods in a second.) My friend and I pulled the motor apart and replaced every single seal in the motor and while we were in there replaced the main bearings as well. After all of that it still did not run right.
I had replaced the ignitor 6 months prior so I replaced the coil and that did the trick. That motor has never been stronger. I also drilled small indentations into the sides of the pistons so the sides of the pistons would have lubrication when they slam into the cyl. walls since the ZC does not come with oil squirters.
E mail me for pics.
Mods: AEM Intake, cust exhaust, free flo cat, stock header debating doing a greddy tbo, ground controls,KYB adjust, neuspeed tie bars, momo steering wheel and ****, fuba, ZC computer, port and polish head next. I recomend this motor.

 

B-Series anything. D series is for chumps. I blew 2 ZC's up and would never reccomend one to anyone. I rev my B16 to 9,000 daily, and flog the **** out of it like it is my job. I never had a ZC last longer than 4 months.

 

A ZC will last just as long as a b16. Just keep it maintained, just because a ZC cant rev up in a b16a/8c range doesnt mean it's a bad engine with no potential. Getting parts for the ZC isnt hard, finding what parts work on it is a bit tricky.

I'd reccomend a LS over a ZC for the potential of the LS. If you have the money for the mounts, linkage, axles, etc...then go for it. Theyre great engines to boost or even go LS/vtec, or both. But the ZC is a good bang-for-the-buck engine.

 

I never had one make it to an oil change. It's not to say the weren't abused

 

im a ZC hater

LS all the way...

 

Care to explain this? How are they not reliable? Its a Honda.

 

yeh ZC vs LS isnt in the same category..
ZC vs Sohc Vtec
or
LS vs B16

 

way more b-series support...
ZC is too rare

 

eventhough i didnt like my zc much, id have to say it was pretty reliable. i used to abuse the **** out of that poor engine for a whole year, and i mean at every light . sold it almost 2 years ago the dude is still driving it (abusing ) and no problems.

 

In the end youll always be ahead w/ a B series.

Blaze

 

they're a dime a dozzen... never seen a fast one i might add

 

Thats like saying all D series blocks are unreliable. And don't forget you 1st gen B16's came out the same time as the ZC, so I guess by your standards they are old too. There are plenty of aftermarket parts for it, you just have to know where to look. Technology changes. The B16 and B18 are no longer in production either.

 

ZC=1.6 LS
they have the same reliability, LS more potential. You can make ZC fast though who ever said you can't is an idiot, any motor with time, money and knowledge can be made a performer.